I have had a lot of time on my hands in the last couple years, and I don't sleep very much. I completely expect that soon enough I will no longer have enough time to read for fun. I know a little bit about a lot of different things.

Have never been to the country and definetely never in that era...but I loved it. I dont know about the authenticity but liked they way she has left something to our imagination. I think that is the point of fiction, whether or not true, do you love it or not.

This is embarrassing but I did not even consider the authenticity of the era. I just took it the way it was described. For one, I'm not really knowledgeable about Native Americans, the way they lived, etc. Maybe that was the reason I enjoyed the book that much, because I just savor every detail without question because if I did question it, the pleasure I got from reading the book might be replaced by skepticism.

If the era is historically accurate and the descriptions and settings are well done, it would be enjoyable. I do enjoy books set in this time period. One problem I often see with placing a story in a certain historical era is that the setting never really becomes part of the story; it may has well have been placed in a modern setting.

I'm by no means an expert in that area, so I just believed the author did her research and provided us with historically correct facts. However, since this is a fictional, time travel novel, I took it as a romantic novel with history as the supporting background. It wasn't a documentary on that time period.

L_Therese wrote:At the very least, the culture and era is simplified and exaggerated for the purpose of furthering the drama and plotline of the story. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure this story is better viewed as a romance that happens to take place during a previous time than historical fiction that happens to include a love story. The reader gets just enough detail to encourage the imagination and no more.

I agree with you to a certain extent. However, sometimes books that combine too many genres (in this case - romance, historical, fantasy) can wind up with a too-busy plot and an excess of description if all of the genres are explored in too much detail. I think it's a difficult balancing act.

The fantasy wasn't as big of an issue since that element is focused on in the beginning and the end. But I did have an issue with how easily it was for them to come back to the future with this vortex. If it had been that simple then Suzanne should have been able to go in the beginning. It was too convenient of an ending.

-- February 3rd, 2016, 6:48 pm --

PashaRu wrote:If the era is historically accurate and the descriptions and settings are well done, it would be enjoyable. I do enjoy books set in this time period. One problem I often see with placing a story in a certain historical era is that the setting never really becomes part of the story; it may has well have been placed in a modern setting.

I thought that as well. When picturing the events in my mind, most of the setting took a modern tone because visually there wasn't as much description to help visualize the fort and village and everywhere else they were trekking.

I did think that the animosity between Native Americans and white people was well written. However, for particular people, I wish that more reason had been given as to why they were so angry and distrustful. Why was Cody allowed to enter the fort and the next he had a warrant on his head. It became a bit confusing especially when most individuals in the story had no issue with him at all and acted accordingly.

I am unsure like most are about the authenticity of the era. The author seemed to rely a lot on "it looked just like in the movies" but dirtier discription. I wish there was more. Plus calling the Major Richards loco did not ring true for me. Yes he was crazy but they did not use any other spanish words in the entire novel.

I am not very familiar with the time period or the differences between tribes. I went with it because there were too many other things to pay attention to. I am a bit shocked that Suzanne did not have a miscarriage after all of those beatings.

CzechTigg wrote:I always like a historical 'living and breathing' vibe. I also can allow artistic licence such that the book reads well, instead of being just a documentary piece.

i feel the same way. I'm ok with an author taking some liberties with historical information in order to keep the pot line interesting. I think that most of the time, authors do a pretty good job letting readers know if the historical details are accurate or not. I think that when authors are proud of the work they put into historical accuracy, they'll let you know on the synopsis or book jacket, somewhere.

I wondered this as well. I don't know that I have ever read a book that involved this era so I don't really know. I do want to know if back then the Native American's were really that vicious. Were women really treated like that? I just don't know!

the book was interesting... dealt nicely with human emotions.. but time travel could have been dealt more carefully and logically...some incidents do had loose ends that could have been tied... overall it is a good lovestory